Need Advice - What to check when renting a plane?

When I learned to fly (in the late 60's at Zahns Airport , Amityville, Long
Island) there was no running water in the rest rooms. If you "had to go",
you made it quick, and held your nose. I never once had a problem with their
PA28's or CFIs however.

A year or two later, I did my Instrument rating at A.T.E. (now American
Flyers) which operated from a fancy office at Islip, NY. Their fleet was no
better than that at Zahns.
"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
oups.com...
I happen to know be very familiar with a high-quality FBO who operates
in a city-owned, badly maintained, RENTED facility, built in 1936. His
aircraft are in great shape, and his mechanics are high-quality on all
levels. The place is orderly, neat, and organized, but the building is
a pit.

Good point. It's not always possible to take into account landlords.
However, in general, if the FBO takes no pride in their surroundings, I
wouldn't trust that they care any more about their aircraft.

Note that I'm NOT talking about the shop. I'm talking about the FBO
office area -- their "front door".
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

wrote:
Hi All, as new licensed pilot I am looking else where for plane
rentals. As you know that the price is a great concern. For a C152 it
can be from $59/hr (wet) to $90/hr (wet). big differences.

My question is, when you first go to a FBO, what to check when seeing a
plane that you never flew on. How do I know that this plane is
maintained well?! Any advice would be appreciated.



General appearance is a clue. If it looks ragged out, it probably is ragged
out. If they've paid attention to the appearance of the aircraft, the chances
are the rest of the aircraft is maintained as well. There are no guarantees, of
course, but they won't stay in business long if they only rent out POS.

As for what you're getting when you rent a new bird, I am VERY interested in the
avionics. If possible, go sit in it and look around for a while before you add
it to your rentable list.

One other thing: if there's a bird that doesn't get rented much, there's
probably a reason. It could be as simple as too much money, or it could mean
it's a dog. Caveat emptor!



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN
mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com

There are no guarantees, of
course, but they won't stay in business long if they only rent out POS.

Depends on the price.

Jose
--
There are more ways to skin a cat than there are cats.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi All, as new licensed pilot I am looking else where for plane
rentals. As you know that the price is a great concern. For a C152 it
can be from $59/hr (wet) to $90/hr (wet). big differences.

My question is, when you first go to a FBO, what to check when seeing a
plane that you never flew on. How do I know that this plane is
maintained well?! Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

Lo


Four things I would do:

Ask to see the maintenance logs for the aircraft in question.
Ask for phone numbers of others who frequently rent there.
Ask for the name and Phone number of the mechanic who does the FBOs
maintenance.
Search the NTSB website for the N number of the plane in question to try and
determine if there has ever been damage serious enough to warrant an NTSB
investigation.
Take one of their instructors or FBO management with you for a hop. Worry
if they hesitate or decline and start sweating...


I'm sure others will have some suggestions as well.

"Jay Beckman" wrote:
Ask to see the maintenance logs for the aircraft in question.

While looking them over, check that the aircraft's last annual was within
the last 12 months and is otherwise legally airworthy. The FAA once
suspended a renter's certificate for 30 days because the renter flew a
plane that was 12 days past the expiration date of its last annual. The
following post from 2004 gives a few more details:
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.a...cc34cd81b11723

"Jim Logajan" wrote in message
.. .
"Jay Beckman" wrote:
Ask to see the maintenance logs for the aircraft in question.

While looking them over, check that the aircraft's last annual was within
the last 12 months and is otherwise legally airworthy. The FAA once
suspended a renter's certificate for 30 days because the renter flew a
plane that was 12 days past the expiration date of its last annual. The
following post from 2004 gives a few more details:
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.a...cc34cd81b11723

Good point by Jim...

Also, don't forget to make an A R O W check to be sure the paperwork IN the
airplane is correct.

Jay B

The PIC, whether an owner, paid pilot or a renter, is
expected to check and be sure EVERYTHING is done and
properly signed off. That includes ADs, annual,
transponder, ELT, a current and up-to-date POH/AFM.

The easiest method is to call the FAA and ask for a ramp
check by the FAA maintenance inspectors. Or have the
owner's shop AI sit down with you and go over the
maintenance records.

You can now go on-line with the aircraft make, model and
serial number and a list of installed equipment and do an AD
search on the airframe, engine, prop and accessories.


The FAA will hold the PIC accountable, but a pilot/renter,
whether an ATP or a student will have to rely to some extent
on the honesty and ethics of the shop and aircraft owner. A
logbook entry doesn't always mean the work was really done.
Some owners don't follow up on required repairs and people
are just plain and simple crooks/ con artists. Others are
just not competent.

Any company or person who will not show you the logbooks and
other records should be avoided.


--
James H. Macklin
ATP,CFI,A&P

"Jim Logajan" wrote in message
.. .
| "Jay Beckman" wrote:
| Ask to see the maintenance logs for the aircraft in
question.
|
| While looking them over, check that the aircraft's last
annual was within
| the last 12 months and is otherwise legally airworthy. The
FAA once
| suspended a renter's certificate for 30 days because the
renter flew a
| plane that was 12 days past the expiration date of its
last annual. The
| following post from 2004 gives a few more details:
|
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.a...cc34cd81b11723

"Jim Macklin" wrote in message
news:jJCNg.22513$SZ3.15912@dukeread04...
The easiest method is to call the FAA and ask for a ramp
check by the FAA maintenance inspectors.


Jim,

The FAA would NEVER do that. Maybe 20 years ago, but not today. They have,
what they believe, work to do.

Karl
"Curator" N185KG

There are ways to get them out of the office and actually
look at an airplane. But the most desirable thing is to get
the logbooks and the A&P/AI that did the last annual to go
over the records and then you check on the airplane to see
if you can identify the work that is described in the logs.

Even better, take a an hour or three on a class on aircraft
record keeping.


"karl gruber" wrote in message
...
|
| "Jim Macklin" wrote
in message
| news:jJCNg.22513$SZ3.15912@dukeread04...
| The easiest method is to call the FAA and ask for a ramp
| check by the FAA maintenance inspectors.
|
|
| Jim,
|
| The FAA would NEVER do that. Maybe 20 years ago, but not
today. They have,
| what they believe, work to do.
|
| Karl
| "Curator" N185KG
|
|

I was going to respond in detail to this,
then I saw that Jay Beckman had said pretty much everything that I was
going to say.

So - do everything that Jay said.
Then stop worrying and go fly.
FBO aircraft are not falling out of the sky every day.
Checkout instructors are not suicidal nuts who will fly planes held
together with adhesive tape.
You are not an A & E so you can't tell anyway - you have to trust or go
rent a car instead.
Or buy your own plane.

Don't overanalyze this.
Check the books,
Do a decent walkaround
and go fly.

That's my best advice

Tony

--

Tony Roberts
PP-ASEL
VFR OTT
Night
Cessna 172H C-GICE

In article .com,
wrote:

Hi All, as new licensed pilot I am looking else where for plane
rentals. As you know that the price is a great concern. For a C152 it
can be from $59/hr (wet) to $90/hr (wet). big differences.

My question is, when you first go to a FBO, what to check when seeing a
plane that you never flew on. How do I know that this plane is
maintained well?! Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

Lo